Drain-valve for pumps.



J. C. 10HNSON.

DRAIN VALVE FOR PUMPS.

APPLICATION msu mums, |916.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

attivi/"Ufa JOHN C. JOHNSON, 0F BARTON, NORTH DAKOTA.

DRAIN-VALVE FOR PUMPS.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Oct. 10, 1916.

Application led March 25, 1916. Serial N 0. 86,712.

To all whom t may concern:

Be it known that I, JOHN C. JOHNSON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Barton, in the county of Pierce and State of North Dakota, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Drain- Valves for Pumps, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in drain devices for pumps to prevent freezing of the same in cold weather.

The principal object of the invention is to provide a drain device of novel construction, whereby the same may be attached for draining pumps of various forms without alteration of the pump or necessitating dismounting of the same. Other objects, as well as the nature, advantages and features of novelty of the invention will become apparent from a reading of the following description in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein- Figure 1 is a sectional view of `a well showing the pump tube equipped with the invention; Fig. 2 is a detail sectional view through the tube and valve; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the pliable closure; Fig. 1 is a detail perspective of the disk; Fig. 5 is a detail perspective of the spring arm.

Referring to the drawings by numerals, wherein is illustrated the preferred embodi ment of my invention, l designates a well casing having at its upper end the usual platform 2 upon which is mounted the casting 3 carrying a handle l for reciprocating the rod 5, which carries a piston (not shown) arranged within the pump cylinder 6, the cylinder being connected to the casting 3 by the usual tube 7, whereby water may be forced from the well by the pump through the tube and out through the spout 8 of the casting.

In order to provide means to drainthe casting 8 and a portion ofthe tube 7 of water, to prevent freezing of the same, the tube 7 may have formed therein at lany suitable point, a ,vent opening 9;

The invention consists, therefore, in the provision of suitable valve means for opening or closing the vent so that the pump may be permitted to operate efficiently, when desired, and after its use, the water left within the upper portion ofithe tube and casting may be drained therefrom.

A closure 10 is provided which is preferably formed from a pliable material, such as rubber or the like which consists of a reduced neck 11 connecting the enlarged portions 12 and 13, the portion 12 providing means for attaching the closure to the tube and the portion 13 acting as a closure for the vent opening, the reduced intermediate portion 11 permitting of free swinging movement of the portion 13 into or out of engagement with the tube to close or open the vent.

A disk 14 of a size corresponding to the portion 13 of the closure is provided which is preferably formed of metal and provided upon its edges with a plurality of supports or prongs 15 which are adapted to be inserted through the material of theportion 13 of the closure to provide stiffening means for the same. This disk maybe bent into a shape so as to retain the portion 13 of the closure in a position to snugly engage with the outer face of the tube. Incisione are formed in the disk and the material of the same between the incisions is bent outwardly, as at 16, so as to provide an openingy for a purpose which will presently appear. An elongated flat spring arm 17 is provided which includes a straight upper portion 1S and an outwardly bowed intermediate portion 19 and an outwardly curved lower end 2O which has the terminal thereof curled upon itself to provide an eyelet 21. This spring is adapted to be inserted through the opening provided by the outwardly bent portion 16 of the disk so that the curved portion 20 thereof will engage with the disk. This will cause the outwardly bowed intermediate portion 19 to extend in curved spaced relation to the outer face of the reduced intermediate portion 11 of the closure, while the straight portion 1S thereof will be positioned in fiat engagement with the enlarged portion 12 of the closure. The closure, disk and spring, as assembled, constitute a valve and this valve is adapted to be secured to the tube 7 so that the portion 13 will overlie the vent opening 9 with the portion 12 arranged upwardly, as is shown.

After the valve has been arranged upon the tube, as just described, a clamp is passed around the flat portion 18 of the spring and kabout the 4tube and is then tightened so as to draw the spring into firm engagement with the portion 12 and at the same time securely fastens the portion 12 to the tube, the yielding natureof the closure serving to prevent longitudinal movement of the same upon the tube and likewise preventing relative longitudinal movement of the spring upon its outer face. The clamp for so retaining the spring and the closure has been illustrated in the nature of a wire 22 which may be passed around the spring, closure and tube and then twisted upon itself to accomplish the purpose mentioned but it is to be understood that a clamp of any other suitable construction may be employed in place of this wire.

An o-pening is provided in the platform 2 and directly above this opening is arranged a housing 23 which is provided at its upper end with an opening through which is passed a rod 24, the same being secured at its lower end to the eyelet 21 of the spring and at its outer end being provided with a handle 25, whereby a pull may be exerted upon the same to swing a portion 13 from engagement with the tube 7 against the action of the spring 17 to permit of draining through the vent opening 9 of any water from the cast-ing 3 and tube 7 above the vent opening. Upon release of the handle 25, the spring 17 because of its peculiar construction will act to return the portion 13 to an engaging relation with the tube 7 so as to close the vent opening as will be obvious.

rlhe peculiar construction of the Valve has a distinct function. It will be noted that the spring 19 is upwardly bowed over the connecting portion l1 and that the pliable element 10 is under tension. Now when the free end of the spring is forced inward, this member 11 will act to prevent the bowed portion of the spring from iiattening as it would otherwise tend to do and thus shift the closure out of register with the drainage opening 9. If it were not `for this pliable element l1 there would be no certainty that the closure 13 would cover the drainage opening, inasmuch as the spring would tend to iiatten out as it was forced against the side wall of the pump barrel.

From the foregoing description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, it is thought that the construction, operation and advantages of the improved drain valve for pumps will be clearly understood and while I have herein shown and described certain specific embodiments, of my invention, I do not wish to be limited thereto, except for such limitations as ythe claims may import.

I claim:

l. In a drain valve of the character dethe closure portion tothe base portion, 'and 4aspring extending over the base portion and operatively connected thereto, the spring being outwardly bowed over the connecting portion and then operatively engaged with the closure portion, the strip connecting this portion lwith the closure portion acting to limit the flattening movement of said bowed portion of the spring.

2. The combination with a pump barrel having a drainage opening, of a valve comprising a liexible element formed with a base portion, a closure portion for said vent, and a connecting strip, a fiat spring engaging over the base portion of the element and outwardly bowed over said strip and then connected to the closure portion, and an actuating rod operatively connected to the extremity of the spring, the end of said spring being operatively connected to the closure portion whereby when the valve is forced to a closing position the connecting strip will limit the flattening movement of the bowed yspring and prevent the closure portion from being shifted beyond the drainage opening.

3. A device of the character described' comprising in combination with the well tube of a pump, said tube having a vent opening formed therein, a closure for said vent opening, a disk secured to said closure, a spring, means for securing this spring to the tube, said spring being engaged with the disk, and a rod connected to said spring for swinging the closure from engagement with the tube.

4f. A device of the character described comprising in combination with the well tube of a pump, said tube having an opening formed therein, a closure including enlarged portions connected by an intermediate pliable portion, a spring, means for securing the spring and closure to the well tube so that one of the enlargements will overlie the vent opening, and a rod connected to said spring for swinging the closure to an open position against the action of the spring.

5. A device of the character described comprising in combination with the well tube of a pump, said tube having an opening formed therein, a closure for said opening including a pliable member, a disk secured to said member, a spring, means for securing the spring and the closure to the well tube, said spring being connected to the disk, and a rod connected to said spring for swinging the closure from engagement with the tube.

6. A device of the character described comprising in combination with the well tube of a pump, said tube having an opening formed therein, a pliable closure for said vent including enlarged portions, and an intermediate connecting portion, a spring arm, a disk secured to one of said enlarged portions, a portion of said spring arm being engaged with the other enlarged portion,

said second enlarged portion being secured teriorly extending portion, and a handle on to the tube, said spring being outwardly said rod. 10 bowed. adjacent the intermediate connecting In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my -portion of the closure, a connection between signatur-e in the presence of two witnesses.

5 the spring and the disk, said spring having JOHN C. JOHNSON.

an eyelet formed therein, a rod connected to Witnesses: said eyelet and extending exterioriy of the W. A. LILYQUIST, platform of the well, a housing for said eX- H. H. SCHAMEL.

Copies o1' this patent may be obtained for ve cents each, by addressing the "Commissioner of Patenti, Washington, D. C. 

